Evansville author Bloss publishes book for 'beginning' Christians

Author Lou Bloss wrote “Come to the Father” as a result of his search for answers for his own life.

"How do I get out of Hell?"

There came a time in Lou Bloss's life — his journey of faith — when that was the big question.

"Something was not right in my life," he said.

He did a lot of soul searching and found there are three questions he and most people who are actively participating in their faith journeys all share: "What is true about God?" "What is true about me?" And, "How do I live a good life (and) achieve eternal life?"

Bloss said he found his answers in the New Testament book of John, chapter 14, verse 6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

"That's what Jesus said (in answer to those three questions)," he said.

Bloss cites author, E.W. Kenyon's (1867-1945) observations that "no one stands before God unless he is righteous (and) Jesus makes us righteous. He did that on the cross.

"He shows us the way to the Father's house; he answers the question, ‘what is true?'

"All that is true is found where the Father is," Bloss said.

And then we wrote a book about it.

"Come to the Father: Three of Life's Crucial Questions and the One Answer They All Share."

It is being published by Fast Pencil, a Web-based publishing company, and will be available after March 30 from www.fastpencil.com as an e-book for $9.99 and as a 120-page paperback (published on demand) for $14.95, "although I am offering the e-book edition for 99 cents for the first 30 days," Bloss said.

"Come to the Father" is written for non-church people, Bloss said, adding that it is long on stories, short on lectures "and written in a conversational tone."

Jackie Notter, a longtime friend of Bloss's, edit-d the manuscript for him.

"It's a user-friendly book," she said.

"He is a good teacher; he combines Bible principles and knowledge and turns it into story form so it's really easy to understand.

"He has a magical way of taking his own life experiences, telling tidbits from his life and applying it all to the book; he takes a situation, tells a story, sets a scene, and then applies Bible verses to support it.

"It is structurally sound. I believe entry-level people will get it."

The book opens with a series of three problems, Bloss said, beginning with the Eden story, followed by God's answers.

"The Way, the Truth and the Life," he said. "That's how it starts, and it's kind of a bummer if that's all you read; the answers are a better read."

He follows with his own testimony, his questions and the answers he found, then asks the question, "What do you do now?"

"There are three answers to that question," Bloss said. "You can discredit (what I have written); you can say ‘This is for me' or you can say, ‘I need more information.'

"The book is designed to bring the reader to that point: Make a decision (for Christ) or know why you have not."

The last section of the book begins with a basic "Beginning Bible Scholar" collection of information for those completely unfamiliar with the Bible, such as how many books it contains and how one can find information (book, chapter, verse) in it.

"It can be a pretty scary book," Bloss said.

Finally, he asks readers to rethink what really gets them into heaven and offers his answer: "I believe you have to stay good. To come to the Father you are made righteous. There is no undoing that, but you have to behave in a manner that pleases the One you love, the One that loves you."